17th Edition

17th Edition Wiring Regulations

The 17th Edition Wiring Regulations are the British Standard (BS7671) to which all commercial, domestic and industrial electrical installation works must comply.

The latest edition of the regulations is the "Requirements for Electrical Installations: BS 7671:2008 Incorporating Amendment No 3: 2015" – the Yellow Book.

Amendment No:1 came in to effect on 31th December 2001. You can read about the changes brought in by the amendment here.

Amendment 2:2013 has been released on 1 August 2013. Unlike the First Amendment it is not a re-issue of the whole book, but a standalone document that can slot into the existing Wiring Regulations book. You can read about additions in Amendment 2:2013 here.

Amendment 3:2015 publishes on 5 January 2015 and comes into effect on 1 July 2015. All new installations from this point must comply with Amendment No. 3 to BS 7671:2008. You can read about the changes brought in by the amendment here.

The wiring regulations include requirements for:
- circuits supplied at nominal voltages up to and including 1000V a.c. with the use of frequencies 50 Hz, 60Hz and 400Hz and nominal voltages up to and including 1500 V d.c.
- circuits, other than the internal wiring of equipment, operating at voltages exceeding 1000 V and delivered from an installation having a voltage not exceeding 1000 V a.c.
- wiring systems and cables not specifically covered by the standards for appliances
- all consumer installations external to buildings
- fixed wiring for information and communication technology, signalling and control
- addition sand alterations to installations and also parts of the existing installation affected by an additional alteration.

What you may expect in the yellow book

The book is a British Standard (BS7671) and it is structured accordingly. It is not an easy read, but with practice the book can become familiar to it user.

In its latest edition the books contents are:
- Part 1: Scope, object and fundamental principles
- Part 2: Definitions
- Part 3: Assessment of general characteristics
- Part 4: Protection for safety
- Part 5: Selection and erection of equipment
- Part 6: inspection and testing
- Part 7 Special installations or locations
- Appendices

Relationship with statutory regulations

The 17th Edition Wiring Regulations are non-statutory regulations.

However, they may be used in a court of law in evidence to claim compliance with statutory requirements stated in statutory regulations such as the Electricity At Work Regulation 1989 or the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

City and Guilds 2382-15

This qualification covers the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations, ensuring that you are up to date with the latest industry requirements for electrical installations and wiring systems.
In order to become a qualified electrician you must gain this qualification.

You can gain this qualification through your local college or any other course provider offering this course (comprehensive list of 17th Edition course providers can be found here). However, since there is huge amount of information you will need to go through, we strongly advise you to read through our guide prior to any course and save yourself from various pressures. Having read through our guide you will be more prepared for the course. This will boost your confidence for the test which will improve your chances for successfully passing the 17th Edition exam. it is worth noting that you should already have a good understanding of basic electrical theory before you have a look at the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations.